The Ultimate Consequences of High Cholesterol Quiz

From heart disease to stroke, the health consequences of high cholesterol are reaching epidemic proportions. Millions of Americans live with heart disease and millions more have the risk factors for high cholesterol. Learn more about how high cholesterol leads to serious health complications by taking this quiz.

Start Quiz »

You scored

0 out of 20

Question 1 of 20

How long have researchers known about the link between high cholesterol and coronary heart disease?

20 years

40 years

60 years

The ground-breaking Framingham Heart Study in 1948 revealed the strong correlation between high cholesterol and coronary heart disease.

Question 2 of 20

Coronary atherosclerosis refers to ___________________.

heart malformations

heart beat irregularities

fat build-up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart

Coronary atherosclerosis is when fat deposits accumulate in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. This can result in a loss of blood supply to the heart, causing a heart attack.

Question 3 of 20

How long does it typically take for coronary atherosclerosis to develop?

a few months

a year

several years

Typically, the narrowing of coronary blood vessels due to plaque accumulation occurs over decades. The symptoms of coronary atherosclerosis are years in the making.

Question 4 of 20

Fatty streaks are the earliest deposits of plaque build-up in the arteries. How do fatty streaks damage arteries?

They coat arteries with a fat layer.

They cause over-stimulation of the cells that line the artery walls.

Fatty streaks damage the thin cell layers of the artery wall lining by over-stimulating the cells to absorb more cholesterol than usual.

Fatty streaks cause artery inflammation.

Question 5 of 20

What causes plaque accumulation in the arteries to become complicated and troublesome?

calcium accumulation

blood clots

both of the above

Simple plaque build-up can become complicated when calcium accumulates, which results in hardening of the plaque. Complications also ensue when blood cots occur in the bloodstream.

Question 6 of 20

What happens if artery plaque tears or ruptures?

Blood flow in the artery improves.

Heavy bleeding and clotting typically occurs.

There may be serious health consequences if artery plaque tears or ruptures. A plaque tear causes heavy bleeding and clotting in the artery, which may result in a complete obstruction of the artery and possible heart attack.

The plaque causes artery blockage.

Question 7 of 20

Angina is when _____________________.

a coronary artery narrows by 30 percent

Angina symptoms include chest pain and shortness of breath. It is the result of a coronary artery narrowing by 30 percent.

a coronary artery is completely blocked

your heart develops an arrhythmia

Question 8 of 20

What can happen to your heart during a heart attack?

Your heart can beat uncontrollably fast.

Part of your heart can die.

both of the above

The blood supply to your heart is cut off during a heart attack. This can result in a portion of your heart dying or your heart beating rapidly and uncontrollably (arrhythmia).

Question 9 of 20

What are the risk factors for developing metabolic syndrome?

genetics and excessive weight gain in childhood

poor diet and sedentary lifestyle

both of the above

The main risk factor for developing metabolic syndrome is poor lifestyle choices, including: excessive weight gain in childhood and adulthood, excessive calorie intake, and sedentary lifestyle. Genetics is also a risk factor for developing metabolic syndrome.

Question 10 of 20

According to American eating habits, which of the following fast foods directly contributes to coronary heart disease?

hamburgers

french fries

American consumption of french fries is reaching epidemic proportions. French fries are a known contributor of high cholesterol and coronary heart disease and are consumed by Americans in excessively high amounts.

soda

Question 11 of 20

How many Americans die of coronary heart disease each year?

a quarter of a million people

half a million people

Half a million people die each year from heart attacks and 13 million people live with heart disease.

a million people

Question 12 of 20

What should the walls of arteries feel like?

soft and flexible

Healthy arteries should feel smooth and flexible. Arteries should be able to move with the flow of blood and the rhythm of the heart.

hard and inflexible

coarse and flexible

Question 13 of 20

A two percent increase in trans fat consumption leads to a _____ increase risk of developing heart disease in women.

30 percent

60 percent

90 percent

Consumption of trans fat is extremely dangerous for a woman's health. Increasing trans fat intake by two percent increases a woman's risk of developing heart disease by 93 percent.

Question 14 of 20

What is the recommended daily intake of trans fat?

20 calories

The United States Drug Administration recommends limiting your daily intake of trans fat to one percent of your total daily calories. This limits your daily trans fat intake to about 20 calories or 2 grams.

60 calories

100 calories

Question 15 of 20

Up until recently, what was the typical amount of trans fat in a serving of fast food french fries?

4 grams

6 grams

8 grams

You used to get four times your recommended daily intake of trans fat from one serving of french fries. Yikes! Most fast food restaurants, however, have now eliminated trans fat from their fried food.

Question 16 of 20

Peripheral vascular disease is characterized by ________________.

reduced blood flow in the arms and legs

Blocked arteries can also cause reduced blood flow to the arms and legs, also known as peripheral vascular disease. Complete loss of blood flow to an arm or leg can result in gangrene and amputation.

reduced blood flow to the liver

reduced blood flow to the digestive tract

Question 17 of 20

What are transient ischemic attacks?

partial heart attacks

mini strokes

A transient ischemic attack, also known as a mini stroke, occurs when a small clot breaks off in an artery that sends blood to the brain.

inconsistently blocked arteries

Question 18 of 20

Damage to the thin layers of artery walls can eventually lead to plaque accumulation and blocked arteries. What causes this damage to the artery walls?

smoking and high blood pressure

oxidation of LDL cholesterol

both of the above

Damage to the endothelium, also known as the thin layers of artery walls, is caused by smoking, high blood pressure, and oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

Question 19 of 20

What do artery walls feel like when there is too much trans and saturated fat in your bloodstream?

sticky

Saturated and trans fat sticks to artery walls, creating a sticky texture instead of a smooth one. The body's immune system tries to fix the narrowing of the artery walls, but ultimately makes the walls even stickier.

hard

slippery

Question 20 of 20

What is the difference between trans and saturated fat?

Saturated fat is worse for your health than trans fat.

Trans fat is worse for your health than saturated fat.

Consumption of both trans and saturated fat can lead to health consequences. Trans fat, however, places you at greater risk for atherosclerosis and heart disease.